Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 04/10/2010 16:35

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service firefighters are teaming up with primary schools across Cornwall to highlight the danger of fire during National Schools' Fire Safety Week (4-8 October).

Over 40 primary schools across Cornwall will be visited by fire crews who will carry out an as realistic as possible evacuation drill at each school.

Crew Manager Dan Fitzpatrick from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service explains: "This week is part of the ongoing work we do with schools throughout the year to promote fire and road safety. This national campaign particularly focuses on children between the ages of 5 and 7 and the theme this year is 'Matches and lighters - tools not toys’.

“Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service have community fire safety advisors who already do an invaluable job attending our primary schools throughout the year and educating the children about this topic, so we have decided to send our crews to over 40 primary schools to carry out evacuation drills. As it is early in the school year, we thought it would be a great opportunity to make sure new students and teachers alike, are familiar with what to do if the fire bell sounds in school.”

“Many of the teachers don’t know that the drills are taking place and sometimes the crews block a fire exit to simulate that a fire is obstructing it, this makes the teachers think about alternative escape routes which is what could happen if there was a real fire. Once the children are at their assembly point and everyone is accounted for the fire crews talk to the children and explain the importance of this type of drill and the dangers of playing with matches and lighters. If the children are particularly good many crews let them have a look around the fire appliance as a reward.”

The National Schools' Fire Safety Week was set up by The Firefighters Charity and National Fire Kills Campaign to help reduce the number of children who are killed or injured in fires each year.

Lance Kennedy, Cornwall Council cabinet member for community safety and neighbourhoods said: “National Schools’ Fire Safety Week provides a good focus and this type of drill is really useful in making children think about the dangers of playing with matches and lighters as they take part in a realistic evacuation exercise. It is another example of Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service working at grass roots level to make Cornwall safer.”

More information on National Schools' Fire Safety Week and downloadable activities and resources for parents and teachers can be found at www.nationalschoolsfiresafetyweek.com